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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Corey Koskie has done the math and by his
calculations the Minnesota Twins are right on track.
|  | | Chris Richard had two of the Orioles' five hits off Twins pitchers. |
Koskie homered and drove in three runs and J.C. Romero pitched
six shutout innings as the Twins beat Baltimore 4-0 Sunday to win
their sixth series of the season.
"You just want to win more series than you lose, so it was big
to come back today and win," Koskie said after the Twins won a
series against Baltimore for the first time since 1996.
"If you win a series that means you're winning at least two out
of three games."
Koskie believes that this businesslike attitude is what has made
his team successful. At 17-6, the Twins have the best April record
in team history. They haven't lost consecutive series, and they've
lost consecutive games only once.
The Twins' next test: a three-game home set against the world
champion New York Yankees.
Romero (1-1) struck out seven for his first victory in 12
starts. The left-hander, who had lost seven straight decisions,
allowed three hits and walked three for his first win since Aug.
11. It was Romero's longest outing of the year and lowered his ERA
from 8.56 to 5.95.
"That was a good outing for him," Twins manager Tom Kelly
said. "It gives everybody some confidence that he's our fifth
starter."
The Orioles' only real threat against Romero came in the sixth,
when they put runners on second and third with one out. But he
struck out Cal Ripken and Chris Richard to end the inning, and then
pumped his fist in the air.
"That's just excitement," Romero said. "I'm just very happy
to be here."
Relievers Hector Carrasco, Travis Miller, Bob Wells and LaTroy
Hawkins finished the five-hitter. Hawkins got the final out to earn
his eighth save this season and extend his major league record for
successful save conversions to start a career to 22.
It was Minnesota's first shutout this season and the third time
Baltimore didn't score.
Pat Hentgen (1-3) allowed four runs and seven hits in five
innings for the Orioles, who closed a 10-day road trip at 5-4.
"I didn't make a lot of good pitches and when you do that it's
going to cost you," Hentgen said. "And right now they're getting
big hits."
Hentgen struck out three and walked two, while his teammates
again failed to support him at the plate. The Orioles have scored
16 runs in Hentgen's six starts, and only 11 while he has been in
the game.
"We hit some balls hard, but couldn't find the holes," manager
Mike Hargrove said. "Romero threw the ball good, but we're hitting
.230. And, yes, it's a concern."
The Twins broke through against Hentgen in the fourth inning
with three runs. Cristian Guzman led off with his major
league-leading sixth triple and scored on Luis Rivas' groundout.
After Matt Lawton singled to left, Koskie drove the next pitch
into right field for his fourth homer.
Koskie added a two-out RBI single in the fifth to make it 4-0.
Richard got Baltimore's first hit off Romero, an infield single
in the fourth that dribbled down the third-base line. But, before
another pitch was thrown, Richard was picked off and caught in a
rundown.
Game notes
The attendance at the Metrodome was 23,011. The Twins have
drawn crowds of 20,000 or more five times; they didn't get their
fifth crowd that large last season until July 15. ... Minnesota's
Doug Mientkiewicz extended his career-high hitting streak to 12
games with a third-inning single. ... The Twins have their first
winning month since July 1999, when they were 15-11. ... Hentgen
entered the game with a career record of 13-3 in 21 games against
Minnesota, his most wins against any opponent. ... The Orioles fell
to 0-5 when getting fewer than six hits and 0-10 when trailing
after six innings. ... Baltimore entered the game with the majors'
lowest team batting average (.230) and home run total (14).
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RECAPS
Kansas City 11
Boston 8
Cleveland 9
Texas 2
Detroit 6
Tampa Bay 1
NY Yankees 3
Oakland 1
Toronto 2
Anaheim 0
Chi. White Sox 2
Seattle 1
Minnesota 4
Baltimore 0
Milwaukee 10
Montreal 0
St. Louis 12
NY Mets 1
Florida 11
Houston 5
Colorado 14
Cincinnati 7
Chicago Cubs 11
San Francisco 2
Los Angeles 4
Philadelphia 1
San Diego 6
Pittsburgh 1
Arizona 7
Atlanta 5
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